Monday 5 May 2014

Monthly Favourites // April

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Moving into May, I've decided to jump on the bandwagon and do a monthly favourites - enjoy!



Probably my absolute favourite of the month has to be the Clinique Instant Lift For Brows. I naturally have dark eyebrows which I never thought would need filling in. However, after becoming a bit obsessed with beauty bloggers and gurus over the last year and hearing how important filling in your brows can be, I thought I'd give it a go. This pencil is double sided - one end is a twist up crayon to fill with (I have the shade 03 - deep brown) and the other is a twist up pearl highlighter. I am no expert but I found this super easy to add into my routine. A quick brush and fill of the brows followed by a swipe of the highlight on my brow bone and it completely changes your face. I also like to use the highlighter end in the inner corners of my eye some days - definitely opens them up and brightens!



Next up is something I thought was a bit of a gimmick but popped into the supermarket to snap it up anyway after a recommendation from a friend. The Vaseline Spray Moisturiser promises to absorb in seconds and repair dry skin - which isn't an entirely untrue claim. I find this method of a spray moisturiser definitely quicker than the regular rub in from a tub, tube or pump. It is also super handy when you're in a rush/super cold and lazy after a shower in the winter! Guilty.


A few little things...

Carmex! A true life saver in my books. I think I've admitted this before but I am a lip product hoarder - seriously an advertisers dream when it comes to balms, glosses, sticks and stains. This has had plenty of use over the past month. I pop it on before bed as I love it's long lasting qualities. Then I chuck it on once I wake up (before I start doing my hair/face) so that once I get to applying a product to my lips, they are super soft. Later in the day, it also gets an application or four. Truly obsessed and works miracles.

These ASOS sunglasses were spotted on Hello October's blog a little while ago and I loved the way they looked, especially since she has a smaller face which is similar to mine. I hopped on ASOS and searched for them however they were only in black, which I might prefer anyways, and now I can only find them online in brown. They look really fashionable and I love wearing them when the sun decides to make an appearance.

As you probably read in most blogger's posts, I have never been a huge fan of lip glosses. Sticky products and below boob length hair, plus Wellington wind do not mix! But my mum's friend gave us a pack of these Napoleon Perdis lip glosses and I have kept at least one in my bag ever since. They aren't too sticky and I find them quite moisturising. The applicator is also one of my favourite types - a brush, not a spongey type one. The colour range (which we split up amongst the family) ranged from a light pink to hot pink with a couple of nudes and oranges in between. I tried them all and surprisingly liked the way the orange-toned one looked! Trying out some more glosses may be in order!


During a browse through the Salvation Army, I spotted this read for something like $2. I haven't quite finished it yet but absolutely love the story so far, just like I do with other Nick Hornby novels. It is about a group of four people who all meet on a rooftop on New Year's Eve with plans to jump. Typing that now, I admit it sounds a bit dark and depressing but it has some real wit in it which definitely reminds me of About a Boy. Also, the film version of this has been made which has Aaron Paul cast. Can't wait!


Lastly, something black of course. This wee little bag has been slung over my shoulder in a rush for the past few weeks and it is a great size. During the day (and night to be honest - I recently wore it to the Arctic Monkeys gig) this Dotti purse perfectly fits my wallet/pouch, a lip product or two, my keys, a small hand cream, my phone and my sunglasses on top! What else could I need?

Hope you enjoyed reading about what I've been enjoying this month. Let me know what your monthly favourites are below! Any recommendations? Thanks for reading!

Lauren xxx

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Thursday 24 April 2014

Mmm Melting Marshmallow Moment

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Mmm, marshmallows. 

That was my thought upon stepping into a hot bath with this bad boy. After running a plain old bath, I plonked in the Melting Marshmallow Moment melt from LUSH. Unlike a bomb or a bubble bar, bath melts don't fizz or fluff, they melt... Duh. It takes a wee while to work it's magic and really make a difference in the water (compared to other products I have tried) but this melts in pink and creates a subtle, not overly sickly smell of sweet marshmallows. That was a bonus with this melt as sometimes, pink products can be a bit over the top with their scents. Another plus was the silky feel to my skin after hopping out of the bath. Melting Marshmallow Moment has almond oil and cocoa butter in it so it was bound to be quite the moisturiser! 

I have purchased some other LUSH bath products which I hope to be telling you about on here soon. Let me know what your favourite bath thing is and I might try it out! It's coming up winter here so baths are a perfect way to spend nights.

Lauren xxx

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Wednesday 16 April 2014

Michel Mercier Detangling Brush

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Contemplating a hairbrush is rough for a girl with a head of thick, long, brown hair but my keen eye spotted this Michel Mercier detangling brush - admittedly because it was pink... This brush is actually the children's version but I'm pretty sure the only difference between this and the original Michel Mercier detangling brushes are the colours? Both ranges have 428 bristles at varying heights and widths in a bid to remove knots without pain. It's a similar idea to the Tangle Teezer which I have also tried, however this range has three types of brushes for thick, medium or fine hair (I got thick). In comparison to other detanglers, the bristles on the Michel Mercier ones are harder and feel somewhat more stable. The brush isn't completely painless when removing knots which no brand can guarantee, but I do notice slightly less fall out which for me is a bonus! It is also a bit more user friendly compared to the shape of other detangling brushes with no handle. The handle and wide paddle (my friend commented it looked like a tennis racket haha) are huge selling points and really make the brush unique and a breeze to use! 

Lauren xxx

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Sunday 6 April 2014

Sunday Six #4

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Hi lovelies! Do you even remember me..? Apologies for the couple of weeks off! It has all been a bit crazy with finishing my diploma, my boyfriend coming home, working and I am currently feeling quite under the weather unfortunately.

I thought I'd kick things off again with a Sunday Six post where I list off a few things that made me smile in order to keep in perspective the good things going on around me. I'll be putting some things from the last two weeks into this post to give you a bit of an update!

1. Like I said, I completed my diploma! It was very exciting to receive that congratulatory email saying I had passed, and the fourth one to do so. Now onto job hunting and working...

2. Following on from that - I applied for a job. It's not the most thrilling process with updating resumes, creating cover letters and online applications. However, it did give me a glimmer of hope and a teeny bit of excitement bubbled up inside me at the possibility of a fresh, new job after studying.

3. I finally got to see Jacob! It had been eight weeks since he was home, but four since I had seen him, so to have him back here for the weekend was lovely. He got to come to my graduation dinner, go to his grandmother's birthday and just relax which he hadn't done since he headed to the army.

4. During my graduation dinner, awards were presented and I managed to snap one up. I won an award and prize for best shorthand writer which was rewarding as hard work pays off and I actually enjoyed that part of the year!

5. No idea why I haven't put this higher on the list but... I hit 100 followers on Bloglovin. And then 150! That is just beyond a number I expected so hank you to all of you readers! I would love to know what your favourite kinds of posts are to read and any you would like to see on here?! Comment below if you have any post ideas.

6. This morning, I woke to a post on Facebook by the one and only Ed Sheeran. A minute of his new song 'Sing' was released and that was basically the best minute of my day! I am a huge huge huge fan and cannot wait for the entire song and the rest of an album to be blasting from my iTunes.

Once again, sorry for the blogging holiday! I hope to be better - but thank you for following and continuing to read my posts. Reaching those two milestones mentioned was such a boost.

Let me know what the best part of your week was! I love replying to comments and want to hear the highlights :)

Lauren xxx
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Tuesday 25 March 2014

Dirty Works Trio

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These three body butters came as a set which I couldn't help but try out! I see Soap and Glory products pop up on blogs daily, but here in New Zealand I unfortunately haven't found it in store. Upon first glance Dirty Works has a similar look to Soap and Glory but having never tried their products, I can't say these are a dupe. But they definitely have the look! After smelling, I loved Velvety Vanilla and Supreme Cream (which I am thinking about purchasing a larger tub of). That Fiji Feeling Coconut body butter however, didn't do anything for me. I'm normally not put off by coconut smells but it meant I haven't used this one and don't think I will. It's a bit overwhelming. The two I have tried definitely do the job, and well. I apply it before bed, after a shower and my skin (especially dry areas like the knees and elbows) feels great in the morning! 

Has anyone found Soap and Glory in New Zealand? Or anywhere online with free shipping? 

Lauren xxx

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Sunday 23 March 2014

The Daily Nail #3 - Storage

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Whilst out one day, I spotted these glass jars for only $5. Immediately, I put two under my arms and left the store with a bargain! When I arrived home, I wondered what they could actually be used for... and nail polishes sprung to mind. So I took all my polishes out of their regular storage (half haphazardly thrown into a basket, the other half kept in a fold out makeup bag) and placed them in one of these! Admittedly, it can get a bit noisy when choosing a colour but I love the way it looks on my shelf and it's a great way to spot polishes because it's clear glass. 


Where do you store your nail polishes?

Thanks for reading :)

Lauren xxx

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Tuesday 18 March 2014

Benefit Duo

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Like a lot of girls, anything pink and pretty grabs my attention. So when I saw that Benefit had put together a little pink box of two small sized products, I couldn't wait to try it out. I got this duo for my birthday a few weeks ago and think it's the perfect set. The sizes are pretty small but great for me, as at the moment, I'm wanting to just try before I buy large. 
High Beam is a creamy highlight which blends out nicely on the cheek bones or brow bone. Only a few dots are needed - it's quite pearly! 
Posie Tint can be used on either the lips or cheeks. So far, I've only used it on my lips and loved it! It goes on feeling quite wet but allow it time and it tints my lips a really nice dark pinky colour. Another thing I like is the applicator. It is a brush type one which is quite handy for the lips where I use it!
TOP // High Beam. BOTTOM // Posie Tint.

What Benefit products can you recommend? Thanks for reading :)

Lauren xxx
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Sunday 16 March 2014

What I Bought - ASOS

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Last week ASOS and the post man were very familiar with my name and address. So here's what I bought!
First, I got this spotty top. It has a oversized, drop waist peplum shape to it which I love and the sleeves are a bit longer than regular t-shirt sleeves. I also picked up two Rimmel products - the Natural Bronzer (in the lightest shade Sun Light) and their Professional Eyebrow Pencil in Hazel. The bronzer is lovely for adding a really slight warm tone to the face, as a bronzer should, but it's not overly strong on my skin! The pencil unfortunately is a bit light for my dark brows but I will probably keep using it teamed with a powder for now.
In my second order, I got two camis from the Petite collection. One in black of course, and one in a pinky nude blush colour. I have already worn the black one and loved it! So I'm sure the pink one will fit in to my wardrobe too this week. They are a shiny-ish fabric, not stretchy but fall really nicely and fit great. Even though we are heading into winter here in New Zealand, they are both perfect for layering and then on their own in the summer. 
Hope you enjoyed this post! Thanks so much for reading :)

Lauren xxx
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Wednesday 12 March 2014

The Daily Nail #1

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'The Colour of Minnie' - OPI

This mini OPI came in a set of four I got a while ago which were all themed around Minnie Mouse. Such a cute idea! The Colour of Minnie is the reddest of the bunch (one of which was a clear top coat, which was smashed). It has a bit of a glimmer to it, rather than being a straight, basic red. The picture above is only with one coat, proving it is quite pigmented and would look even better with two along with a top coat for durability and staying power. I really like OPI mini sets (ignoring the price tag) because even the small test sizes last quite a while for me and it allows you to have a matching colour range.

Have you tried any OPI mini sets? Which ones? Give me some to have a look at :)

Lauren xxx
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Tuesday 11 March 2014

Recipe #1 - Smashed Peas

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One of my favourite fairy tales when I was younger was Princess and the Pea. To my parents, I was a pretty fussy child. Hard to get to eat anything at all and sometimes, hard to get to sleep, just like the princess. But one of the very few vegetables I have always loved has been peas! I even eat them frozen - such a weird habit haha. 

When my mum came home a while ago and recreated the smashed peas she had at her friend's house, I was instantly hooked. Even though it's not the prettiest snack, it's so tasty! I love putting it on toast at any time of the day, as pictured, or even just eating it as part of a platter style dinner with crackers, dips, vegetables and salad. This week, I made some up and thought why not snap some pictures and share what I put in it with you?!

YOU WILL NEED:
Peas
Olive Oil
Lemon
Garlic (grated)
Parmesan
Salt
Pepper

These can be used at any ratio.

After cooking the peas on a double boiler, strain them and run them under cold water to stop the cooking process. Put them in a large bowl or container - one with enough room to start smashing! Once you can't see many whole peas, pour in the olive oil, squeeze some lemon and keep smashing. Add the other ingredients to taste. I find it useful to test as you go along to find the right ratio of olive oil to lemon that suits you! It tastes pretty good right after making but even better the next day!


What's one of your favourite snacks? Will you be trying 'smashed peas' any time soon?

Lauren xxx

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Saturday 8 March 2014

Sunday Six #3

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Another week has passed and as always, there were positives and negatives. For the last two weeks on the blog, I've been listing off six cute, happy things that happened in the last seven days. So here's this weeks installment!

1. Now I don't know if this is a positive or negative (I'll let you decide haha) but ASOS had an extra 20% off sale items this week and somehow I made two orders... That could be classed as a problem. I might post about what I bought when it arrives! Yipee! Did you grab anything during the ASOS sale?

2. Coming to the end of my studies, I have just started doing some work experience in social media - and I've actually really enjoyed it! It's to do with sport, which isn't very like me but it's something new, out of my comfort zone and another opportunity!

3. Keeping with the studies theme, I started a new class/paper which happens to be my last! YAY! It is on sub-editing and design which is pretty up my street so it should be a good couple of weeks.

4. This one is a bit weird - I've discovered a new hair tip. Through watching Zoella, she mentioned that rather than spraying hairspray directly onto a finished look, she sprays it onto a hairbrush and combs it through or on top of the look. I find this pretty useful with a high ponytail, it keeps those fly aways and fuzzy bits at bay for slightly longer! 

5. I have reached 80 Bloglovin followers! Almost at 100, which would be a pretty cool feeling!

6. At the moment, I can't really think of a last one so I thought it might be good to put a few newly discovered hidden gems of the blogging world. Maddy at gypsywardrobe.blogspot.au commented on one of my posts recently so I popped over to her blog - immediately in love. Another two I find myself checking are oceanicstars.blogspot.co.nz and laurajarvispatterndesign.com. Be sure to have a look!

And here's a little something to inspire you for this week! (source)

Lauren xxx
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Wednesday 5 March 2014

Graphic Tees

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Today, during a quick trip to some stores to check out the sales I found this adorable tee in Dotti. It's a grey, fleck, boyfriend style top with the cutest pug I have ever seen printed on it in black. Just had to have it! Lately, I've seen some really cool similar printed tops on ASOS. They are so easy to wear, in summer or winter, and will never really get old! I put some of the ones I found online below for you to check out - the 'pizza is my boyfriend' one is definitely up my street! 


ASOS Print Tees


ASOS black t shirt, 22 NZD / ASOS top, 25 NZD / Monki crop top, 18 NZD / ASOS white t shirt, 31 NZD
Lauren xxx
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Monday 3 March 2014

February Favourites Favourites

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Since it's that 'favourites' time of the month, I thought I would do something a little bit different - round off my top favourites videos! I love favourites that have unheard of and different products in them or include some non-beauty items like TV shows, food, movies, books and music. I've just popped a few I liked below so have peek!




Hope you enjoyed them as much as I did! Link me to your favourites post or video and I'll be sure to check them out.

Lauren xxx
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Sunday 2 March 2014

Sunday Six #2

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Hi loves! Hope your Sunday was nice and relaxing :) here is the second week of my 'Sunday Six' post where I list six happy or positive things that happened over the last seven days.

1. Today, I went on a little road trip to see my boyfriend, Jacob, for the first time in a month. It was such a lovely day and really great to see him and where he's been training for the last few weeks. Especially since it was our three year anniversary this week too. Only 24 days until the next visit!

2. I am currently in the last month of my diploma in journalism and have ticked three assessments off my list in the last week - working in small chunks of time really does work.

3. One of my best friends had a baby! Haven't seen him or a photo yet but I absolutely can't wait to give him a snuggle!

4. I turned 19! On my birthday, I had a 10 hour shift at work which wasn't ideal but having the next day off and seeing Jacob totally made up for it.

5. A Topshop jumper I have been pining over for ages has finally been added to my wardrobe. It's cream and wooly and gorgeous. Bring on winter so I can rug up in that!

6. Twenty new people started following my blog on Bloglovin! It's so cool to think that a couple of people start reading my posts every day. I love the idea of having a group of fellow bloggers to talk to!

Here's a little Instagram photo of today!


Lauren xxx

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Monday 24 February 2014

What's In My Bag

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What is in my bag you wonder? Thought I would do this post as I myself always love a peek of what's in other blogger's and YouTuber's bags.

BAG: My bag, pictured above, is just a tan messenger type bag which is a great size and I manage to fit a crazy amount into it. Kind of feels like Hermoine's bag sometimes.. I will either wear this one or a black, slightly larger bag with more pockets when carrying more books to school. 

BOOKS: I regularly have quite a few in my bag. Since I am in journalism school, an essential is a reporter's pad with a pen. I also have a plain black diary which doubles as my contact book along with a book to read on the train. At the moment, I've been reading Veronika Decides To Die by Paulo Coelho. My mum recommended it to me, it's a bit dark at times but I'm loving it. 

CREAMS & STUFF: I like to keep a hand cream in my bag no matter the weather. This Neutrogena one is nothing fancy but it works really well! A deodorant is always handy along with a perfume. This Body Shop White Musk Smokey Rose EDT is my most recent purchase and I am in love. I saw LLYMLRS blog about it a while ago but was a bit hesitant as I have never been a huge musk fan. However, the other day I was in the body shop and gave it a spray and walked out without it. After an hour, I went back and picked it up because I loved the way it ended up smelling. To me, it smells sweet, like berries. Mmmm!

WALLET: So I made the mistake of buying white wallet. Oops. Nothing major now that it's dirty as it was only a cheap one and I wanted to test out a pouch wallet before buying a higher end one. This one is really sweet and says 'now or never' in silver on the front. I keep cash, cards, lip balms and headphones in there most of the time. My two favourite lip balms at the moment are Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel I think? And a trial size Blistex. I have also been loving Carmex! But I keep that one by my bed.

OTHER THINGS: Some other essentials. These tissues are so cute. My mum got them for me - not sure where from - but they are adorable and come in a handy book type package. I also usually have a piece of fruit, USB stick, always have my keys and also a recorder for interviews! Bit boring!

So that's what I normally have in my bag. Link below to your 'What's In My Bag' posts or videos. Love watching and reading them :)

Lauren xxx

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Saturday 22 February 2014

Sunday Six #1

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Hello and happy Sunday!

I have decided to make a regular Sunday post with six happy/good/exciting things that happened to me over the past seven days. Kind of like a round up of my week but I also think it's a good way to keep focussed on the positive things. 

1. I got AM by the Arctic Monkeys. They are coming to Wellington in a couple of months and I am hoping to be heading to the concert! The album is a few months old but I love it so far. 
2. I finally spoke to my boyfriend! He is in the army doing his basic training at the moment and the only communication we have had over the last few weeks has been letters. But he was surprisingly able to call me for five minutes two nights this week which was a huge pick me up.
3. So I have a bad, unhealthy addiction to chips/crisps, but this week I feel like I have cut down a bit (meaning I didn't have them every day... haha). Lets see if I can cut down further!
4. I managed to take my dog, Louie, to the dog park about four times this week. It can get quite hard with getting home late off the train to find the motivation to go but I notice a little extra run around makes us both feel better!
5. My chords on the guitar have gotten heaps better. It was was one of my Christmas presents last year and I have pretty much mastered D, G, C, A and Em chords after some sneaky YouTube tutorials as I am teaching myself.
6. I reached over 50 followers on Bloglovin! Yay! So thank you to you wonderful followers and readers. It means a lot, especially since this blog is fairly recent!

Let me know the best parts of your week below :)

Lauren xxx


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Thursday 20 February 2014

Liebster Award!

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I was nominated by Em at My Pale Skin which was so sweet since I am only a couple of months into blogging and just recently followed her wonderful blog! It's really nice to already see some support!

The Liebster Award is kind of like a chain award for blogs with under 200 followers, here are the rules:

1. You must link back to the person who nominated you. 
2. You have state 11 facts about yourself.
3. You have to answer the questions given to you.
4. You have to pick 11 nominees and create a set of 11 questions that they must answer.
5. You can't nominate the person that nominated you.
6. You have to tell the nominees that they have been nominated by you. 

11 Facts About Me:
1. I live in New Zealand but was born in Australia and grew up there.
2. I am currently doing a one year course in journalism and hope to go on to a Communications degree.
3. I used to play the violin when I was younger but stopped, and am now teaching myself guitar.
4. I am such a home body. I love staying in all weekend watching movies and reading!
5. My favourite authors are Nick Hornby and John Green.
6. I don't drink soft drinks and hate the taste of Coke.
7. I love cooking shows but prefer to bake.
8. I am awful at making decisions! It drives people crazy.
9. I need to have my shoes matching my handbag!
10. I know shorthand. I use it often and actually enjoyed learning it.
11. I love British bloggers and Youtubers!

Nominee Questions:
1. If you're stranded on a desert Island, and can take 5 products with you, but no mirror... what would you take? 
Miranda Kerr's Clear Shampoo and Conditioner, Lucas Papaw Ointment,  Benefit Erase Paste, Stila SPF30 tinted moisturiser aaaand Benefit They're Real mascara just for fun!
2. What inspires you? 
Just walking through the city! I love seeing what other people are doing, wearing, putting on their face.
3. Favourite store?
ASOS, Cotton On and Glassons. 
4. Worst purchase you've ever made? 
Probably some reaaally cheap nail polishes. The worst.
5. Who is your Girl Envy?
Zoella and Rachel Bilson!
6. Worst make up mishap?
I'm pretty new to beauty myself but probably when I was testing make up looks for my first prom.
7. What product have you been lusting after, but yet to add to your collection?
Benefit Hoola bronzer.
8. What is something you would love to wear (make up/fashion) but feel you can't pull off?
Simple I know, but I'm scared to try a bold red lip!
9. How long does your everyday make up take? 
Not long, five minutes?
10. What product do you wish had never been discontinued? 
This Chanel colourless lip balm my mum always used to have when I was younger! There's a similar product back out now but I don't think it is quite the same.
11. Where do you see yourself this time next year?
About to start a degree. Still blogging hopefully, having made some friends online!

My Nominations:
Katie - http://bonjour-katie.blogspot.com/
Brodie - http://www.brodiejay.com/
Michelle - http://comichellex.blogspot.ie/
Lauren - http://laurenevie.blogspot.co.uk/
Jade - http://jaderosa.blogspot.com/
Emilia - http://live-lifestyled.blogspot.de/
Dina - sun-se.blogspot.com
Sophie - http://www.bellechaton.co.uk/
Emma - http://awinterswalk.blogspot.co.uk/
Saskia - http://www.sassys.co.uk/
Jordaine - http://bonjourbutlercup.blogspot.co.uk/

My Questions For You Ladies:
1. Why did you decide to start a blog?
2. Describe your every day make up look.
3. What are your three favourite drugstore products?
4. What is one hair trend and one make up trend you are a bit nervous to try?
5. Who are your favourite YouTubers?
6. What is on your make up wishlist right now?
7. If you could only ever buy from one clothing brand and one make up brand, what would you choose?
8. What music do you like?
9. What is your favourite perfume?
10. What colour is on your nails right now?
11. What are your blogging goals?

Thank you so much Em :) hope you all enjoyed reading a little about me and make sure to check out the 11 blogs I linked to!


Lauren xxx
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Topshop Wishlist #1

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Topshop Wishlist #1

Topshop Wishlist #1 

Since Topshop isn't on every corner here in New Zealand, I live vicariously through watching hauls (love everything in Lily Pebbles' latest one here) and scrolling online! Here are some things I would love to see in my wardrobe if I should be so lucky. I especially love the polka dot shirt and the black strappy dress. Would love to experiment with a plain tee underneath the dress a la LLYMLRS. Also, I am thinking of doing a What's In My Bag post in the next couple of days so pop back for that!

Comment a link below to what you've been loving at Topshop!

Lauren xxx




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Thursday 13 February 2014

Cloudy Day Favourites

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Last week, a giant cloud blanketed the town I live in - in the middle of summer... I did quite a bit of lazing about so I thought it might be fun to share some of my favourite lazy day things!

TV: So I have a mad obsession with television. I find a series, I fall in love and watch it until my eyes start to hurt! My current favourites are Girls and Mom. Girls features Lena Dunham who was recently featured on the cover of Vogue and a huge role model for a lot of 20 something year old girls. My 20 something year old sister introduced me to the show and although it started off a bit weird, I kept chugging along and glad I did. It is so funny but so real. Mom is a sitcom with Anna Faris, who is a young accidental mom of two who is about to be an accidental grandmother. I don't normally like her that much from her Scary Movie days but I love her and all the characters sarcasm in this show. My mum and I watch it together religiously. My other TV favourites are Modern Family, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Hart of Dixie, Dance Moms (embarrassing...), The Big Bang Theory. Oh and New Girl! Told you. I'm obsessed.

Food: My friend went to Canada a little while ago and picked me up a giant box of these Kinder chocolates from duty free for cheap. They are a bar version of Kinder Surprise eggs, so a little less messy when you're cuddled in bed watching Girls for a few hours.

Nails: I love painting my nails no matter what the weather, but it does feel nice to treat yourself on a rainy day. Colours I'm loving are Covergirl Out Last Stay Brilliant in Go-Go Mango along with a random hot pink I got from a local chemist. They are both a pop of colour and brighten up a grey day!

Books: One of my goals for this year was read more books. I seem to have failed so far but am determined to catch up now! Still, under the category of books I have my Kikki K 'A Sentence A Day' notebook. You fill it in each day and every page has a question up the top with a couple of lines to write the answer. Pages have space for three answers so you can use the book for three years and are able to reflect, seeing how your answers change. A friend got this for me for Christmas and I fill it in every night before bed. Almost makes up for not reading much this year... Almost.

So those are some of my bad weather favourites. Let me know what yours are! Maybe I'll give them a go when another cloudy week rolls around.

Lauren xxx
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The Perfect Combo

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We all have those days where we open our wardrobes and just think 'ugh'. And I'm sure most of you have a 'this is what I wear when I don't know what to wear' outfit. A pair of black jeans? Check. A plain white tee? Check. A classic blue denim jacket? Check. Your favourite black boots? Check! That's my go-to outfit. What's yours?


Chelsea Boots//ASOS
Denim Jacket//Glassons
White Tee//ASOS
Jeans//Neuw
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Le Tan Tanning Gel

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Fake tanning can be scary. Sprays, creams, developing moisturisers, streaks and scrubbing - it all seemed daunting to me until I tried this Le Tan Tanning Gel. 

Looking at the gel for the first time, I was a bit freaked out. It seemed too dark and like it would just stain and leave me patchy. But I exfoliated and moisturised and put a layer of it on and in a few hours, like the bottle says, my legs had some colour. It has a coconut smell that some may find overpowering but it didn't bother me too much as I ended up applying this every couple of days until I built up a bronzed look. The product also faded extremely well for me, not coming off in streaks and patches in the shower. 

I would definitely recommend this to any fake tan virgins or anyone wanting to try a new product. Just be sure to do all that pre-application jazz - scrub in the shower, moisturise with an oil free moisturiser and be thorough when applying your gel, getting it in all the right places!

Lauren xxx

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Friday 31 January 2014

Twistband Hair Ties

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After a long day of ponytail wearing, sometimes a girl wants to let her hair down - but without that crease left behind by a tight elastic.
Twistbands are made from elastic trim and are thicker than your average hair tie. I finally found these for sale in New Zealand from Sample Bar's Glam Store (which I think has now shut down) after seeing the colourful bands all over the internet. Like magic, they claim to not crease your hair. I don't think I can comment on their ability to leave your hair without that dreaded bump as I wear my hair naturally curly most of the time so it goes a bit unnoticed. But I do think they add something playful to a plain old ponytail! I've been using them, along with my mum and sister, for over a week in high and low ponies and even a bun. Love all the colours and styles they come in.
Read all about how the company got started here - such a cute little story.
Lauren xxx
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Tuesday 28 January 2014

My Everyday Jewellery

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There's something about silver jewellery. The way it looks when it's old. The way it looks when it's new. No matter the age, it is timeless and so easy to wear everyday.
I had been pining over the Karen Walker moon pendant for about a year, so when I spotted it on Trade Me (the New Zealand version of eBay) for about half the price last week, I didn't think twice. The crescent moon face pendant, which has a cute little star as an eye, hangs on Karen Walker's classic link chain. The clasp also has a small circle with 'kw' on it. Everything about it is so sweet. For a while, I have been a bit obsessed with moons so to finally have one on a necklace is perfect. It is also a bit different than the Runaway Girl which everyone and their mum seems to be sporting.
For Christmas, my lovely mother got me and my sister rings from Karen Walker's superfine range. We opened the boxes (which are the most beautiful mixture of elephant grey and gold) and knew they had been mixed up because she had the heart and I had the star. A quick switcharoo and we were in love! My heart ring needed resizing to fit my teeny tiny fingers so today was the first day I wore it! These are really popular and come in quite a lot of different designs. Stars, hearts, dogs, bears, cats, skulls, peace signs, daisies, bows... Like the range suggests they are superfine, which gives them a cute and dainty look.
So those are my recent purchases that I will be wearing everyday for sure! They go wonderfully with my Stolen Girlfriends Club bow ring and my Pandora heart one. I'm not overly adventurous when it comes to jewellery so these are my staples that I feel bare if I forget to pop them on daily!
Lauren xxx
Oh and here are some links to follow me on: Bloglovin', Instagram.
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Friday 24 January 2014

January Sample Bar Glam Pack

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At the end of last year, I signed up to Sample Bar in a bid to be more adventurous with beauty products. I have never been a religious cleanse, tone and moisturise person and I never really wear more than a tinted moisturiser and a dab of concealer. Buuuuut, I want to try new things. So I received a little black box on my doorstep, filled with these luxury goodies!


The first thing I noticed from the box was this Angel Nourishing Cream Leave-In Conditioner. Now I'm not a huge fan of things like this that may leave your hair greasy and gross but I tried it a few days in a row and quite enjoyed it. It smells okay and is supposed to protect from heat styling tools which is a plus!



Like I said, I am not a huge cleanse, tone and moisturiser so I decided to give the Dr. Wendy's cleanser to my sister. It is totally natural and made in New Zealand. Sample Bar were kind enough to put in a full size of this. Lucky her!

I, like many girls, am a self-confessed lip balm hoarder. It started for me with Lip Smackers at a young age and the addiction grew and grew. I'm known among friends to ALWAYS have something in my bag to cure chapped lips. For the last couple of years, my go to balm was Lucas Papaw Ointment from which I did not stray. This classic Carmex may make it into the number two spot. It reminds me slightly of Blistex because of the smell and the tingly sensation. It works great and leaves my lips smooth after one application.



The next thing was a small pottle of Argania Hair Oil. I have tried Moroccan Oil a couple of times before but was never crazily hooked on the stuff. This little 5ml tester may make me fall in love with hair oils though. It smells delicious and after using it last night, my ends feel softer than usual.
The last item in the box was a mini fragrance which has already made its way into my car for a quick spray every morning before I jump on the train. It is the Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline Fragrance which is said to be inspired by the glow of pure crystals and smells like lotus flower.
Sadly, Sample Bar has decided that was their last pack they are sending out and the company is closing down. Just my luck, right after the first box I receive! I really liked Sample Bar because it had a store you could purchase singular products from that had appeared in a box. I did so a couple of times and they always threw in some sweet sample goodies! However, I have done some research and found another New Zealand beauty box called Goodie Box. I'll let you know how I get on!
Lauren xxx
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C'est Lauren

C'est Lauren
Hello!
My name is Lauren and I am a
lover of the fashion and beauty
world from New Zealand.
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